100 Years to Love and Hate
by the-little-guru
Summary: While Sozin's body is failing, he can't help but remember the happier days with his best friend...
A/N:

(action) laughing

(taste) chocolate

(song) 100 Years - Five For Fighting

(quote) "Enjoy your life today, because yesterday has gone and tomorrow may never come." - Alan Coren

Include your element.

Your main character is a minor character

words: 2177

POsition:airbender

* * *

Sozin laid down in his bed, body failing with age, and idly skimmed reports from military units all over the country. His son, Azulon, had come in moments before to deliver the bunch of scrolls, before retreating to speak with a few generals, gracefully taking the duties of a Fire Lord as Sozin came to the end of his days.

He was tired and lonely. His wife was gone, and most of his friends had died as well. Sozin closed his eyes and supposed that all the happiness in his life now would have to come from whitewashed memory.

 _I'm 15 for a moment_

 _Caught in between 10 and 20_

 _And I'm just dreaming_

 _Counting the ways to where you are_

Sozin felt the fire shoot past, missing his face by a hair, and he grinned in exhilaration. His friend never had the best aim, even if they were standing less than 20 feet apart. Sozin clenched his fists and took a massive breath before releasing everything towards Roku, who had a look like a deer in the headlights.

Roku hastily dodged to the side, as the massive fireball blazed past and set fire to a bush behind.

Sozin burst out in laughter, "Haha! What are you Roku? An airbender?"

"Hey, I'm just not all that great at blocking stuff, okay?" said Roku indignantly, "And look, you set a bush on fire."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry." replied Sozin as Roku put out the fire. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and watched his friend's bare back expand and contract, subduing the flaming bush with only his breath. Roku always had a great deal of restraint.

"Sozin! Roku!"

The young prince cringed as he heard his mother's angry voice. He turned around warily.

"What are you two doing? There is only five hours before your birthday celebrations!" she scolded, striding over purposefully. Sozin could feel Roku slowly edging behind him, "And why is the bush smoking?"

"Sorry." sighed Sozin, "And we don't need five hours to prepare, mother."

"Well, you two shouldn't be sparring, at any rate. You have months to do that afterwards."

"Sorry ma'am." said Roku with a small bow.

Sozin's mother shook her head and turned away. "Get washed up, you two." she said, not seeing the goofy face that Sozin pulled to her back. Roku snickered quietly before falling backwards into the grass. Sozin sat down and piled the soft green blades onto Roku's closed eyes.

"Hey Sozin," said Roku, eyes still shut, "do you think Ta min will be at the celebration?"

"It doesn't matter cuz you're too much of a wuss to confront her anyways!" laughed Sozin, trying to ignore an unpleasant twinge in his chest.

"Heh, yeah, I suppose I am."

For a few minutes, they fell into a comfortable silence.

"Welp..." sighed Sozin, "I suppose we should go bathe."

"Oh, don't look so down, Sozin." said Roku, "We still have half a month together before we go back to the academy."

"Yeah, yeah," replied Sozin, "I suppose I'll have to teach you how to block attacks before then."

"Hey, I know how to block!"

"But you still suck!" grinned Sozin, before breaking into a sprint, "I'll race to the bath!"

"Not fair!"

Sozin never had the opportunity to help Roku with his blocks, because a few days later, his best friend left the Fire Nation on his journey to become the Avatar.

 _I'm 22 for a moment_

 _And he feels better than ever_

 _And we're on fire_

 _Making our way back from Mars_

Sozin set down the brush and read through his letter. Then he sighed heavily and wondered if he should even try to mail it out. After all, he wasn't completely sure where his friend was anymore. Roku had said that his first destination was the Southern Air Temple, but no matter how many letter Sozin sent, he never got a response.

All he had now was a stack of unread scrolls sitting in the corner of his room. The oldest of which had been written six years ago, mere days after Roku had left. It was as if Roku had completely forgotten about him.

Sometimes, Sozin wondered if Roku still wore the headpiece, the parting gift from the Crown Prince. Roku's mother had been quite angry when she found out that he gave away such a precious artifact, but Sozin didn't care all that much. He was glad Roku had something to remember him by.

Sozin sighed again and laid out the paper to dry, wondering if his letter sounded too clingy. Perhaps he should stop sending letters and focus on his future as firelord instead. He wearily took out a book about economics and began to read through.

If only he and Roku were still teenagers, free from responsibility and light with ignorance.

 _15 there's still time for you_

 _Time to buy and time to lose_

 _15, there's never a wish better than this_

 _When you only got a hundred years to live_

 _I'm 28 for a moment_

 _Still the man, but you see I'm a "they"_

 _A kid on the way, babe._

 _A family on the mind_

On the other side of the balcony, music and laughter rang out from Roku's wedding and Sozin was happy.

Really.

He was very happy.

It was a fine summer day, and a few weeks ago, Roku had come home. Except now, instead of being "Sozin and Roku," they were "Firelord Sozin and Avatar Roku" respectively weighed down with the entirety of the Fire Nation, and the entirety of the world.

Oh yes, also, they'd only spent a day and a half together before Roku left to find Ta min. Sozin hadn't really expected that.

Well, it seemed that Avatar training made Roku more bold, apparently.

Sozin stared off into the small city on the other side of the bay, bright with industry and nightlife and wondered when he would find a woman for himself. He'd met the daughters of many nobles and governors, yet none of them appealed to him much. He didn't think he'd ever look at a woman the way Roku looked at Ta min, eyes bright crinkled at the corners and mouth slightly open light some kind of dumbstruck fish. Sozin shook his head and felt an uncomfortable twinge in his chest, despite smiling slightly. Roku might be the Avatar, but he was still the biggest moron Sozin had ever met.

The biggest moron, standing by his side.

"So, what's on your mind?"

"I've been thinking hard about the state of the world lately-"

"Sozin, it's my wedding!" said Roku, stating the obvious as his arm wrapped around Sozin, warm and heavy, "Have a cookie, dance with someone, lighten up!"

At that, Roku rocked back and forth slightly to the muted sounds of the wedding music while he held out a dark brown biscuit. Sozin had to smile. He'd always been a sucker for dark chocolate, and he wondered if Roku specifically requested the cookies from the caterer.

"Enjoy your life today, because yesterday has gone and tomorrow may never come." continued Roku, putting up a finger as if he were a sage old man.

"I know, I know, but just hear me out." Sozin said, shifting the conversation to a more serious note, "Right from the start, I was destined to be Fire Lord. And although we didn't always know it, you were destined to be the Avatar. It's an amazing stroke of fate we know each other so well, isn't it?" Sozin said, feeling Roku's arm stiffen slightly, "Together, we could do ... _anything_."

"Yeah, we could…" said Roku dubiously, removing his arm. Sozin looked forwards and thought about how he could best present his ideas to his friend.

"Our nation is enjoying an unprecedented time of peace and wealth. Our people are happy, and we're so fortunate in so many ways."

"Where are you going with this?" Asked Roku, suspicion creeping into his tone.

"I've been thinking, we should share this prosperity with the rest of the world. In our hands is the most successful empire in history." Sozin briefly paused and considered how fortunate he was to have the Avatar as such a close friend, "It's time we expanded it."

"No!" Roku shouted, "The four nation are meant to be just that, Four!"

"Roku," said Sozin, turning to face his friend. "You haven't even considered the possibilities."

The two of them could rule the new era side by side, the Avatar and the Firelord, the world's most powerful and deadly combination. They could spread industry all over the planet and build the future…

"There are no possibilities." Roku said with finality, "This is the last I want to hear about this."

Sozin watched as the taller man strode away, back to his party and his new wife, without even considering his Firelord's ideas.

The sense of betrayal cut deep. Sozin gazed into the red sun, slowly sinking into the ocean as the first simmers of anger popped to the surface. Slowly, the glowing orb sank into the waves, but the sky and sea was still stained red.

Red like love. Red like anger.

Red like the color of _all_ the nations in the future that Sozin would bring.

 _I'm 45 for a moment_

 _The sea is high_

 _And I'm heading into a crisis_

 _Chasing the years of my life_

Roku moved away. He and his wife moved to an island as far out from the capital as possible, though he still came to visit Sozin as though nothing happened the night of his wedding.

Sometimes, Sozin wondered what life would be like if Roku had been born a woman. Surely, they would have gotten married and perhaps, perhaps, Roku would be more receptive to his ideas, or show more loyalty and attention.

Though the thoughts were quickly banished. Surely normal people did not think such perverse things.

Sozin sighed and wished he could go back to his childhood.

 _15 there's still time for you_

 _Time to buy and time to lose yourself_

 _Within a morning star_

 _15 I'm alright with you_

 _15, there's never a wish better than this_

 _When you only got a hundred years to live_

"I've seen the colonies, Sozin, how dare you occupy Earth Kingdom territory!"

Sozin looked up to see Roku standing at the doorway of the throne room, eyes alight with anger.

"How dare you, a citizen of the Fire Nation, address your Fire Lord this way." Sozin said, deliberately chilling his voice to maximum iciness, Your loyalty is to our nation first. Anything less makes you a traitor."

"Don't do this Sozin, don't challenge me." Roku replied, turning his back. Then, he briefly paused before walking away, "It's over."

Sozin could've laughed. The way Roku spoke sounded like something from a cheesy young adult drama. But there was no amusement in his eyes.

A sudden wave of rage overcame him, and he barely even recognized the searing flames surging out of his knuckles. Then, he felt a wave of alarm when he saw the flames dispersed into the nothing against the door.

Suddenly he was met with glowing blue eyes as a massive spiral of wind roared around him, powered by Roku. Sozin shielded his face as the chamber was ripped apart. His stomach lurched in fear as a stone pillar slammed into him from the back, carrying the Firelord high into the air.

He struggled slightly as he saw Roku rising, riding an air funnel, arms tucked behind his back like the epitome of Justice.

"I'm sparing you, Sozin. I'm letting you go in the name of our past friendship."

Sozin snarled.

"But I warn you." continued Roku, voice deep and commanding, "Even a single step out of line will result in permanent end."

Then in a flash, he was gone, most likely forever.

Then, fatigue hit Sozin like a ton of bricks and he let his head fall limp.

How did life come to this?

 _Half time goes by_

 _Suddenly you're wise_

 _Another blink of an eye_

 _67 is gone_

 _The sun is getting high_

 _We're moving on..._

Hot night air blew into Sozin's face as his dragon fled Crescent Island, hundreds of miles from the Capitol. And in a sense, Sozin was fleeing too.

A single drop of water nearly escaped his eyes as his mind unwittingly brought up the image of Roku's aged face, the childlike light in his eyes finally burning out as Sozin turned to leave him, stranded on the volcano.

Things between the two of them were not supposed to end this way.

Sozin was supposed to be the Firelord, Roku his loyal subject. They were supposed to get married around the same time and live close together, lives and families intertwined. And together they would grow old and watch their nation become greater than ever before as they painted the world red, the color of heat and life.

The Firelord and the Avatar, the Avatar and the Firelord. It sounded good together. It was as if destiny chose to bring them together.

Though Roku resisted everything that should've been.

Sozin's eyes narrowed. He heads a vision for the future now, the path cold and clear, laid out in front of him with no more emotional turmoil and no more physical resistance.

The future was _his_ alone.

 _I'm 99 for a moment_

 _And dying for just another moment_

 _And I'm just dreaming_

 _Counting the ways to where you are_

Sozin had messed up.

He'd been in denial since his dawn, and it wasn't until the dusk of his life that the truth came light.

That night when he laid to rest, the dreams he saw were the most beautiful visions of innocence and childhood. He and Roku were still teenagers, together in a courtyard, except they weren't dueling like usual. They sat side by side in a secluded corner, talking softly, and Sozin's heart clenched painfully when his mind brought up the radiance of Roku's smile.

Then, Sozin dreamt of being on top of a glider, hearing the muffled lilt of his friend's voice, barely audible with the roaring of the cold winds. There was nothing in the world except their two tiny bodies and the open sky. Sozin peered over the lip of the glider and saw Roku's black hair streaming behind, and a mischievous fire in his eyes. His stomach lurched and he wondered if Roku flipped the world around.

In the next dream, there was no sight… only the sounds of pants and the smell of sweat. Only the taste of musk and the touch of fire, rough and burning and pressing into him again and again and again. And perhaps, there was a sixth sensation too, a sensation so powerful and fulfilling, rushing from the glowing soul of the godly creature above him like, human or spirit, Sozin did not know.

And in that moment, Sozin finally understood.

To him, Roku wasn't a friend. Roku had never been just a friend. If given another lifetime, Sozin would do anything. Sozin would give up everything, his pride, his title, his power, his body, mind and soul, if only for one more unrequited moment.

In this new world of his own creation, alight with the fire of industry and progress, Sozin dreamt of the past.

And with his final, somnolent breath, he longed to go back to the sweet fire of his youth.

 _15 there's still time for you_

 _22 I feel her too_

 _33 you're on your way_

 _Every day's a new day..._

 _15 there's still time for you_

 _Time to buy and time to choose_

 _Hey 15, there's never a wish better than this_

 _When you only got a hundred years to live_


End file.
